The Chicago Bears eye a playoff return with a potential blockbuster trade for elite defensive star Myles Garrett
The Cleveland Browns are sitting at 2-6, struggling at the bottom of the AFC North. Recently, they began clearing house by trading wide receiver Amari Cooper.
With the NFL trade deadline approaching on Nov. 5, many predict that Cleveland may continue offloading high-cost veterans, signaling a full rebuild.
One name being tossed around is Myles Garrett, the elite defensive end and five-time Pro Bowler, who’s earned three first-team All-Pro selections.
Drafted as the top pick in 2017, Garrett has spent his entire career with the Browns, racking up an impressive 92.5 sacks, forcing 19 fumbles, with five recoveries and 16 passes defended.
In 2023, Garrett’s dominance earned him the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award, recording 14 sacks and a personal-best four forced fumbles that season.
Deshaun Watson’s trade, yielding a poor 1-2 playoff record for Cleveland, has pushed the Browns into a rebuild, potentially placing Garrett on the trade block.
With $14.658 million available under the salary cap (12th in the league), the Packers might express interest, though Garrett’s substantial five-year, $125 million contract could bring challenges.
His cap hits reach $20.17 million in 2024, $19.72 million in 2025, and $20.37 million in 2026.
The Athletic suggested a deal where the Bears would trade their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks, along with rookie defensive end Austin Booker, to acquire Garrett and take on his $125 million contract through 2026.
“If this unfolds, the Bears would still hold the [Carolina] Panthers’ 2025 second-round pick, which could be as good as No. 33, and have $72 million in cap space next year, two reasons why this wouldn’t be a Khalil Mack-style gamble for Chicago,” they noted.
“At 28, Garrett should remain one of the league’s best for another three to four years, which fits into the Bears’ Super Bowl window with Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze on rookie contracts. Capitalize, Chicago!”
While trading for Garrett might seem like a dream for some fans, especially those more focused on Madden than the real-world cap, there are major hurdles in The Athletic’s proposal that could stall such a move.
First, Garrett would be a heavy financial commitment. Though his base salary for 2024 is relatively modest at $1.2 million, his cap hits jump to $19.72 million in 2025 and $20.37 million in 2026.
Additionally, there would be a dead cap charge exceeding $37 million in 2027 due to a void year in his contract.
This substantial investment raises the question of whether the Bears need another high-cost edge rusher when Montez Sweat already occupies $25 million annually over the next three seasons.
Garrett might also seek a raise to align with the market’s highest earners, where four players are making $28 million or more each year.
Trading top picks for Garrett could also disrupt the Bears’ roster-building strategy. General Manager Ryan Poles has been carefully reconstructing the roster to undo the effects of Ryan Pace’s rushed decisions in his last years in Chicago.
Bringing in Garrett now would be a sharp pivot from Poles’ current methodical approach, risking a return to the Bears’ past patterns.
Read more: Derek Carr Injury Update: Saints QB returns to practice after oblique injury
Image Credit: © Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
NFL 
